For purposes of the foregoing specification and appended claims the terms “air” and “water,” “moisture” or “vapor” whether or not accompanied by any words such as “vapor,” “gas,” “liquid,” “moisture, “water” or other words describing similar matter or states of matter, refers to all forms of liquids and gases not limited to water, water vapor, and moisture as created by any means.
The juncture of dissimilar materials is and has been an ongoing problem in the science and building practices associated with the exterior walls of buildings and structures. Creating a functional and aesthetic juncture frequently inhibits the escape of vapor or water since the termination of one material above and a different material below frequently ends up creating a dam blocking the escape of such vapor or water.
Walls hold moisture and their inability to allow moisture to escape and the wall to dry can be a major factor in the premature deterioration of a structure. Building science, construction practices and evolving energy codes have changed greatly over the recent decades resulting in significantly better insulated walls. However these newer wall designs signs allow less means for water to escape and less air flow leading to increasingly premature deterioration of walls of buildings and structures.
Established wall designs and construction are intended to keep water out of walls but not necessarily to allow them to breathe. Building wraps traditionally prevent water intrusion but do not necessarily let sufficient moisture out. A better wall design must allow for moisture and vapor to move through a predetermined path depending upon when the inside and outside temperatures have the sufficient temperature difference to create and hold excess moisture.
Further, air pressure differential from inside and outside the wall due to temperature and or wind can force moisture into the wall through the wall's surface, in addition to preventing vapor and moisture from escaping. This prevents condensation from escaping and inhibits drying. Further, when cold air contacts hot air, or vice versa, condensation occurs and moisture is formed inside the walls of buildings and structures.
As a result, moisture and water accumulates without a means to escape causing the sheathing of walls to absorb moisture. Plywood, cement board, or OSB (Oriented Strand Board), which is more prone to absorb moisture, can begin to mold, deteriorate, rot and hold more water. As the sheathing fails the weight of the finish material will begin to crack. This allows more moisture accumulation in the walls. Ultimately the finish material can fall away from the building or structure. Areas receiving 20-inches or more of rain a year are the most susceptible to this type of deterioration.
The juncture of dissimilar materials always presents a problem with the movement and escape of vapor from a wall of any construction material(s) and any construction practice(s). The embodiments disclosed herein address this problem and directly relate to cladding materials terminating horizontally above manufactured stone. Preventing the damming of water at the juncture and securing a sill stone while still allowing the entire wall to ventilate, vapor to escape and the wall to dry is a problem that leads to deterioration, and ultimate failure of the cladding.
Current commercially available accessories for stucco, stone and other finishes do not address these conditions and constraints on air and vapor flow within a wall. Therefore a new wall design and trim accessories are necessary to accommodate the different forms and function of the building envelope.